


No Kindness Is Wasted

by Everyday_Im_Preaching



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Confusion, Gen, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-01-15 05:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18492409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everyday_Im_Preaching/pseuds/Everyday_Im_Preaching
Summary: You had just wanted to be kind; you'd do the same for anyone who came across your path. These two grunts, however, seemed particularly interested in paying you back--with an invitation to join Team Skull, no less.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [9shadowcat9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/9shadowcat9/gifts).



> Heya there! I've been crazy busy with commissions lately, but I'm finally free!! That being said, this was commissioned by 9shadowcat9. Love ya beau!

 

You saw them watching you.

Normally, when someone saw Team Skull, they were frightened. The gang was full of known troublemakers. Your Ralts beeped at you, swaying slightly in the breeze. His tiny hands were preoccupied with a fork, trying to bend it and failing. He’d seen a Kadabra do it earlier and was obsessed with trying it out himself. You ran your palm over the top of his head, petting him slightly—something seemed off.

The look in the two team members’ eyes weren’t mischievous, there was no aggressiveness in their posture. They were trying to hide, and they just looked…

_ Hungry. _

You knew that look. It was ingrained in your mind. A universal sign of a hunger. You would recognise it anywhere, having memorised it on the face of your sister, in the silver pooling of a mirror. Ralts beeped at you again and you pressed a kiss to his head, much to his delight.

“We’re going to help someone,” you told him, picking up his Pokéball. “I have to put you up for a moment, but I’ll have you back out lickety split, okay.” Ralts whined at you but he seemed to understand.  Pokémon  were far more intelligent than people gave them credit for.

You got to your feet, feeling them protest. You’d just come down from Ten Karat Hill, barely stopping home for a shower before travelling to Hau’oli City. The Ralts you’d been entertaining on the tabletop had been ill when you’d found him, and his medicine had come into the city whilst you were busy… Well, you weren’t really busy. You just had been hiking the hill, mostly sightseeing.

Ralts went back into his Pokéball, and you walked over to the nearby counter, ordered two meals, and when asked if you wanted them to go, you agreed. Once the order was filled you brought the heavy bags and uneven drink holder over to where you’d seen the two grunts hiding. If they weren’t around, you’d find someone else in need of it, you were sure.

“Yo, yo,  _ quiet,  _ she’s coming over here.” You tried to ignore the low whisper, wondering why they felt the need to whisper at all. “What’s she doin’?” You heard him grunt and you rolled your eyes as you rounded the corner; they both scattered, as if they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t have.

“We ain’t tryin’ to try nothin’,” one squawked, voice slightly muffled by his handkerchief. You cocked an eyebrow—you weren’t sure that that was true, but you weren’t here to argue. Instead, you slowly knelt to where they were half-crouched, half-sprawled in surprise, and laid the drinks down, with the bag next to it.

Both of the grunts eyed you, long and hard. Curious.

“What’s this?”

“You looked hungry,” you said, as if it were obvious. You smiled, watching them eye the food. “You watched me buy it. I didn’t have time to poison it.” You got to your feet, and they crept forward to greedily grab at the bags. Your heart twisted in your chest, a soft pang. You looked at them again, wondering if you should leave—and then you fished out your wallet and pulled out some cash. You tucked it between the drinks, not sure if they’d take it out of your hand.

“Take care of yourselves.” You were gone, seconds later, twisting back around. There was uncertain whispering behind you, but you didn’t dare look back. You were certain you’d adopt them, if you did—and you really didn’t have time to take care of two teenage kids. They were with Team Skull. Guzma typically took pretty good care of his band of miscreants, so it was odd, seeing them like this.

You pushed it from your mind. You had other things to worry about. You were headed to the Pokémon Center, to pick up an Elekid who’d suffered some serious burns awhile back. It was about time for him to be released back into the wild, and you’d offered, since you weren’t in a particular rush to go anywhere.

 

The grunts showed up again the next morning. Early, when you groggily slipped through the Pokémon Center doors and into the milky white rays of the sun. They weren’t hiding this time and you squinted at them, trying to figure out what was going on. It would make sense if they were here to try and get more money, or more food, but they didn’t seem aggressive. Only a bit out of sorts; up too early, like yourself.

“Yo, where you going?”

“North,” you replied, shouldering your bag. “Where are you going?” They stared at you for a moment, silent. You really didn’t want to have to battle them, not right now.

“Thought we’d escort you out of town,” the one on the right replied. He thumped his chest and you resisted the urge to laugh at him. “M’name’s Taylor. This is Zak. We wanted to thank you for yesterday. Thought it was the least we could do.”

You raised both eyebrows, unsure about the offer.

“We ain’t got no ul… ul…” Zak furrowed his brow for a moment. “We ain’t got no ulterior motives. Ain’t gonna rob you or nothin’. Promise.” His hands were shoved into his pockets and he looked  _ nervous.  _ You eyed them again, and then shrugged.

“Okay,” you agreed. They slid into position beside you, shoulders hunching up and eyes wandering the streets, as if every slightly shadowed alleyway was dangerous. You ignored them, for the most part, trudging ahead. They were quiet up until they hit the edge of town; Taylor shifted from one foot to the other, looking up at you, then looking down at his feet.

“Hey, you ever think about joining Team Skull?” he asked. You stopped in your tracks and turned to look at him. You hadn’t. Well, you had; everyone did who ran into them, but in the way that young girls would stay up at night, gossiping about what celebrities they would kiss if they could. Or what you would do in the apocalypse.

“No,” you reply, as if it were obvious. “Have you ever thought about leaving Team Skull?” The question seemed to confuse them, but you could only judge their expressions by the upper half of their face. Before they could say anything more you took off—not running, but quick enough that it deterred them from following you.

The Elekid went on its way easy enough, somewhat relieved to no longer be in the care of humans. It darted off without as much as a look back, but you understood. Not every  Pokémon  was made to live with humans. You were kind of glad it didn’t need to be poked or prodded into returning to its natural environment. If it hadn’t wanted too, you knew that you would’ve offered it a place in your far too crowded home already.

“Where to next?” you muttered, opening up your PokéNav. Your mind drifted back to the grunts who you’d fed, and you wondered if they were doing alright, their silly offer aside.

You’d probably follow the road, find a few battles along the way—travel until someone needed you again. It was the best way to do things. It was rare to see someone so old doing the island challenge, and you didn’t want to draw too much attention, especially since you were going so slow about it.

You saw them again, in the Pokémon Center on Route 2, and you briefly wondered how they’d managed to get around you. They could’ve taken a  Pokémon or bikes or something similar, but excepting your stop to take the Elekid home, it had been a straight shot past the cemetary and berry fields. It didn’t do much to dwell on it, you supposed, but it was there in the back of your mind; a niggling, consistent worry.

You ignored them, at first, though they were  _ definitely  _ watching you. You went through the motions, putting your name down on the sign in sheet before shutting your things in your assigned locker;  Pokémon  Centers had moved to a capsule system, replacing long cots with something a tad more private.

“Hey Zak, Taylor,” you greeted as you stepped back into the common area. They jumped, apparently surprised. “What are you doing up here?” You picked up a tea at the café in the corner—the grunts followed you. Everyone in the center watched them follow you.

“You sort of ran off when we were talkin’ to you,” Zak muttered, not bothering to sit. “Jus’ wanted to make sure you were doin’ okay. Roads can be dangerous.”

Taylor actually sat down, opposite her. He looked awkward, stuffed into the soft, comfortable chair. “Why you ain’t never thought of joining Team Skull before? We ain’t all that bad. You’d make a good addition to the crew, you know.”

You couldn’t believe that you were being asked to join Team Skull in the middle of a Pokémon Center. “The gang life isn’t quite for me.”

“We talked to the boss. He just kind of shrugged it off but we’re sure you could change his mind. We’ve seen ya’ battle. You could do really well, move up the ranks real fast.”

You were stunned. Still stunned. You took a sip of your tea, unsure of what to say. “Thank you for the offer, really, but… I’m not interested.” The cup made a soft, clinking sound as it was sat back down on the table. The uncertainty was turning into an almost amusement—it was cute, if you thought about it.

Cup in hand, you stood, smiled, and then departed. They didn’t call out and you hoped that they’d leave it at this. They’d tried twice, and that would be enough, or at least you thought it should be. The idea that the two of them had talked to Guzma wasn’t comforting, but he’d sounded disinterested, which was… It was better than him personally hunting you down - to battle you or recruit you or anything in-between.

The tiny capsule hotel that the center provided was cozy and just off to the side from a communal shower. Once you were cleaned and changed, you grabbed a drink from the vending machine, spent a few hours watching mindless television, and then crawled into your capsule and curled deep under the provided blanket, not even bothering to turn the light off before falling asleep.

 

“Good morning,” you greeted the little Ralts you were taking care of as he spilled out of his Pokéball. Your other  Pokémon  were happily eating away at their lunches, fully rested and ready to head out. The Ralts beeped at you, waving his tiny hands in hello. Delighted, you proffered him a Poké Bean. He took it happily, shoving the entire thing in his mouth at once, making you chuckle.

Rested, fed, and eager to get on your way, you thanked Nurse Joy and stepped back out into the sunny, wonderful weather that you’d become so accustomed to. You thought of hopping over to Konikoni, and then nodded your head decisively. There was no rhyme or reason to it, just another way to waste time.

You battled and rested, trekked through some mud and rain—even returned the Ralts to its natural habitat. All before you saw those grunts again. You didn’t even recognise them at first, underneath their masks, and thought you might be in for a battle; they, however, hadn’t forgotten you, and you could see their smiles underneath the soft cotton covering their mouths. 

“Hey it’s you again,” Taylor greeted, his eyes bright. “Funny runnin’ into you all the way out here.” His statement sounded oddly suspicious, but you didn’t want to judge him. And you certainly didn’t want to think that these kids were  _ stalking  _ you. Maybe it was a right place, right time sort of deal.

“I do get around,” you replied. “I… It’s funny running into you, too. What are you up to?” You were confused, yet grateful, that they still thought of you kindly. You didn’t want to think they were up to no good, but there was little else that Team Skull did. But you still smiled, keeping it honest and warm. “Did you get taller?”

Zak’s eyebrows jumped, and he elbowed Taylor. “I  _ told  _ you I got taller. I told you. You didn’t believe me.” He threw his shoulders back, apparently proud of this fact now. “You still runnin’ around doing that island challenge?” he asked next, ignoring Taylor’s silence. “You could definitely get through it, but don’t you think it’s kind of boring? Everyone is doin’ it. Could have more fun if ya’ joined up with us.”

_ This  _ again. You shrugged your shoulders. You wished you could see their faces. You reached a hand up and scratched at your cheek, clicking your tongue, unsure of how to answer. They didn’t seem too bothered by your silence, at least not yet.

“I really think it’d be better if I didn’t,” you finally said, tasting the awkward way the words fit in your mouth and wincing at it. “But the offer is really, really nice. I appreciate it, I really do. I just have other things on my plate right now. I’m not really cut out for it.” You didn’t know how to explain it without being rude. You didn’t know if it mattered. They were so sweet, or they looked to be—even if they were gang members.

You didn’t want to hurt their feelings.

“Nah, nah, you’re seeing it wrong. The great thing about working for Guzma is everyone is cut out for it. He’s good about this sort of thing,” Taylor assured. “Boss is even in town, you know, we could take you up to meet him. He likes to meet all the new recruits.”

“I’m not a new recruit,” you promised. “I’m really not into, uh…” You didn’t know what to say. You felt like you never did. Why did they want you to join Team Skull? All you’d done was buy them lunch.  _ Once.  _ “What’s this about?”

Zak shrugged and Taylor looked over at him. “Ain’t no real reason.”

You were pretty sure that was a lie. “It’s really okay.” You felt awkward. You wanted to leave before anything more happened, before they could ask you to join again. “I really have to get going, but again, I appreciate the offer. Take care of yourselves.” Your smile never fell as you turned your back to them, hurrying along—you heard footsteps behind you, and then you could see both of them fall in line beside you.

“Think about it, at least,” Taylor insisted. “You could do really great things.”

“You should do those great things,” you insisted in return. They were plodding beside you, faces still excited and bright. “I’m happy just finishing my challenge.” This didn’t seem to dissuade them. You wanted to be nice, you really did.

“What can we say to convince ya’?” It was almost a whine, when Zak said it. “It’s not an offer that we can just give to everyone, ya know. We really don’t mean to pester you about it, but like. We’re serious about this.”

“I’m sure you are,” you agreed. “I just… I’m really busy. But I’ll see you around.” You managed to slip away between two buildings. They paused in their step, watching you go. The shadow of the building drove away the sun’s warmth and you slinked against chilly stone in hopes that they wouldn’t just round the building and ambush you on the other side.

Luckily, they seemed to have gotten the hint. You managed to spend the rest of your time in Konikoni unbothered. Any paranoia that they were still lurking around the city faded in an hour or so—they meant no harm, and you were silly to think they did. You were on your stomach, scrolling through the news, safe and sound in a Pokémon Center once again.

There wasn’t anything of interest, or at least nothing caught your attention. A boring news day was a good news day, in most cases. You did notice it was going to rain tomorrow, a thick deluge of water and rolling thunder. You let out a soft huff—you didn’t want to travel in the rain. You could spend another day in Konikoni, if you wanted. You liked the city well enough, but you just had this urge to get out and  _ move. _

The storm woke you late in the night and you curled yourself tighter into your blanket, cursing the foul weather. Even knowing that it was coming, it put a damper on your spirits. You’d moved to the Alola region for the sun, forgetting that it was, in fact, an island. And islands were just as prone to storms as anywhere else.

Despite the rude awakening earlier in the evening, you still managed to get up early and shimmy out of your pod. That didn't stop your mood from souring when you saw the torrent of rain outside the Pokémon Center. Everyone else seemed unmoved by the storm.

You decided to stay an extra day, see if you could wait the rain out. Your team could use the rest. They certainly enjoyed wandering around the center, pestering other people and gobbling up Poké Beans.

It was still raining the day after, but you decided to leave all the same. You could only spend so much time indoors, even if the other option was more mud. At least you'd grabbed your wellies when you'd gone by home.

It took an hour to get everything packed up, and to put everyone snug in their Pokéballs. Puddles littered the road, silver mirrors on grey stone. You avoided them the best you could, but puddles were oddly deceptive and were good at hiding in the misty morning.

The rain got worse as you traveled farther out. You were glad for your raincoat and boots, but entirely unhappy otherwise. Mud wasn't your favorite thing to slog through any day of the week.

It was still raining when you found the entrance to Diglett's Cave. You were glad for the cover, even if the cost was dim lighting. It was damp and dark, but otherwise unassuming. You could hear Zubats screeching deeper in, chattering eagerly up above you. You wondered what they talked out.

Was it of darkness, berries, drama amongst the other  Pokémon  in the cave? The lives of  Pokémon  that were unaffected, at least directly by humans, were interesting. You shouldered your back higher, staring up at the smooth, chiseled ceiling of the cave—you weren’t sure if you believed a Diglett had dug it out. But it wasn’t the weirdest thing that had happened, at least, in regard to written history.  Pokémon  were known to do incredible things.

The end of the cave revealed that the rain had turned into a fine mist, and you thanked nature for small mercies. Hopefully it’d go away completely by the time you reached Heahea. The less wet you were, the better.

The mist may have been nicer than a full-on storm, but it didn’t make the road any less muddy, or prevent your boots from sticking along it. You trudged forward, toward Heahea, barely catching a glimpse of black out of the corner of your eye before shaking it off. Probably a ninja, hiding amongst the grass, waiting for challengers. Or a  Pokémon , scared off by your footsteps.

Heahea city was abuzz with life, even in the nasty weather. It cheered you up somewhat, seeing so many people out and about in the rain, conversing under umbrellas and darting around the shops, arms full of their purchases. You, of course, had come here with a goal in mind—there was someone in town with a Bulbasaur who they’d rescued from a drainage pipe by the sea. Nobody quite knew what she’d been doing there, but they did know that she needed a different kind of help than they could offer. You’d been contacted, and then had accepted the offer. Being able to spend long stretches of time with  Pokémon , either to bring them home or help them get better after a particularly rough misadventure was a delightful distraction from the storm, and an activity you enjoyed greatly.

One Bulbasaur later, you heard familiar footsteps - familiar  _ voices. _ Blue handkerchiefs flashed in the rain and you let out a sigh of recognition. But they weren’t coming toward you, they were dashing into a nearby alley, kicking up water behind them as they went. You debated on checking out the situation, and then let out a small huff of determination.

No matter who they were, or what was happening, you’d help. You’d always help.

“You okay?”

You peeked around the corner to see Taylor pulling a waterlogged Slakoth from the ground. It looked like it’d fallen off a nearby gutter pipe, and it was crying out loudly as it latched around Taylor’s neck, soaking his handkerchief and tugging it down slightly from around his face.

“We gotta get him somewhere warm,” Zak insisted from beside him. “‘Fore he gets sick or something.”

“You don’t know if it’s a him,” Taylor bit back, curling his hands around the tiny creature. “And I know, I know, where we going to go though?” They seemed to notice you then, all eyes turning toward you peeking around the corner. “Aye, you know about  Pokémon  right? Where do we need to take her? Should we take her?” It was a genuine, slightly panicked question. 

Zak pointed up. “He fell from up there.”

“ _ She  _ fell,” Taylor snapped, as if it mattered. Maybe it did, to him. Acknowledged, you stumbled down the stone alley to check on the little Slakoth yourself. It was certainly frightened, but it didn’t look anything more than wet.

“Somewhere warm is definitely a good idea,” you murmured. “Why not just go to a  Pokémon  Center with the Slakoth? They’ll check her out. What was she doing on a drain pipe?”

Neither of the teenagers answered, or they didn’t want to answer. Either way, they let you lead them to the nearest Pokémon Center, Slakoth still shaking and crying, even after it was brought into the warm building. It protested being pulled off of Taylor, even though it was into a warm, dry towel.

“We just heard her yowling,” Taylor told you. “Thought we’d check it out. Came just in time to see her falling off the side of the pipe.” He sounded innocent enough and you found it hard to doubt him. “Then you showed up.”

“Yeah,” Zak agreed. “They took him off to get him x-rayed or something, right?”

You nodded. “Just to make sure they didn’t hurt themselves when they fell,” you assured. You could tell they were genuinely worried about the Slakoth. “I’m sure you’ll be reunited soon.” You felt the way your wet socks squished in your boots and you frowned. You needed a long, hot shower. And to check on that Bulbasaur you’d picked up earlier. You didn’t like to leave new charges in their temporary Pokéballs long, especially on the first day. But you felt bad, leaving these two alone. They obviously felt uncomfortable by themselves.

You didn’t count the minutes, but you felt like the check-up took forever. It was like waiting for the mail or watching a pot boil. If you kept too close of an eye, it wouldn’t happen. Taylor and Zak seemed equally impatient, though quiet.

The Slakoth was unhurt, only scared, and reached for Taylor as soon as it saw him. Nurse Joy laughed, and you could see she was trying not to be worried when she handed the Slakoth over. You nodded and smiled at her, watching as Taylor took ahold of the now semi-dry  Pokémon .

“It looks like they don’t want to let go of you,” you said, finally getting to your feet. You could rest now. To a degree, anyway. You thought of changing and taking yourself out to a nice lunch, at a table away from the window so you didn’t have to remember how wet it was outside.

“Where are ya goin’?” Zak asked if you stood. You looked at the door, and then at Zak, almost apologetically.

“To change,” you replied. “I somehow managed to get water in my boots. They’ve been soaking in rainwater for awhile now.” You took a step to show the water welling up inside your wellies and Zak and Tyler went silent for a moment. “Are you guys going to be in Heahea for awhile?”

“For awhile,” Taylor agreed, voice slow and unsure. The two of them shared a look before they were on there feet, heading toward the door. “We’ll see you later.” You were slightly shocked at how easily they left this time. In fact, so quickly that you found yourself suspicious.

You looked after them, pursing your lips. “What are they up to?” you wondered out loud, even though it was under your breath. Still, you went to change, hoping that whatever it was would work itself out without any need for interference. You were really too tired to deal with any shenanigans tonight.

And yet, as always, it didn’t matter. Being tired, as you learned, was more likely to attract trouble than anything else.

By the time you’d finished with your lunch, the sky had cleared: it was a blessing. You strolled out into the sunlight and gave a long, easy stretch, happy to see the sun again. You hoped that it wouldn’t rain again anytime soon, though you were sure that was a silly thing to hope for. You were so distracted by the warmth of the sun that you almost didn’t hear when someone called out behind you.

“Well, well, well, ain’t you looking awfully familiar.”

You froze, knowing full well that that wasn’t some stranger. That was Guzma. You didn’t know why he was out in the open—he usually kept to more obscure locations than the middle of Heahea. Or did he? You’d thought that that was the case.

“It depends on who you’re looking for?” It came out as a question and you wanted to kick yourself. You didn’t want to do this now. You appreciated a battle as much as the next trainer, but this was interrupting your plans to go take a nap.

“I’m looking for you,” Guzma pointed out as you turned toward him. You could see his hand resting on his belt, near his Pokéballs. “You got me last time, I admit. You had the element of surprise and you used it well. But I ain’t playing games with you no more, kid.”

Your hand went to your own belt, and you felt an awful lot like a gunslinger. This was  _ ridiculous.  _ Again, a person you’d run into once, beat, and now they were back. At least he didn’t look angry at the moment. Just…  _ determined.  _ Determined Guzma was better than the one that liked to swear at you.

The battle was… quick. You hated to think of it that way; Guzma was amazing with his team. He’d obviously trained them well, and they absolutely adored him. You respected him for that, and it was almost enough to make you question his real intentions as the leader of Team Skull.

“Again? You’re fucking kidding me,” he hissed as he holstered his Pokéballs. “You think you’re all high and mighty up there, doin’ your challenge, taking me down like you ain’t got nothin’ better to do. Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Those were fighting words. More of the fisticuff kind than a battle, though, and you knew for sure that Guzma could lay you out in hand to hand combat. You took a step back, watching Guzma with a careful eye. He hadn’t started to approach yet, but you didn’t want to take a risk on thinking he wouldn’t.

Guzma was staring at you, long and hard, as if there was something just a bit off about you. You took another step back and your Mightyena followed, a low growl emanating from its throat, rolling across what had previously been a battleground.

“Oh no, you’re fucking her, ain’tcha?’ He looked unimpressed, arms folding across his chest. “You’re that fucking brat my grunts were rambling on about. Guess they got more of an eye for talent than I thought. But I got the feeling you aren’t eager to flip your alliance. That’s something they got fucking wrong.”

They’d actually talked to Guzma about you? Concern flitted through you and you gripped your belt in a loose fist. “Not quite interested, no,” you told him, as you’d told Taylor and Zak before. This might be a good way to get them off your tail for good.  _ Maybe.  _ “I tried to tell them—”

“ —Are you fucking stupid? Thinking we would want you in the gang? We don’t need no goody-fucking-two-shoes,” Guzma snapped. “We ain’t got no place for a nosey brat like you. And I’d recommend you to stay out of my fucking way, alright?”

You held up a hand in defence, not wanting to anger him further. This was the Guzma you were familiar with - the angry, grouchy one. As much as you appreciated a clean, polite fight, it was nice to see that spark still there. He stomped off, shoulders high and back arched in obvious offence. You watched him go with gritted teeth, waiting for him to fully disappear from view (surprisingly free of lackeys) before letting out a long, drawn out breath.

“He gets like that with everyone.” Zak’s voice hovered right by your shoulder and you yelped, stumbling away from him. Mightyena growled and bared his teeth, stepping between the two of you, sending Zak backward as well. “Oh, whoa, hey there.” Now both of you were nervous, which you thought was fair.

Zak dug a foot in the ground, waiting for a moment before speaking again. “I promise you, he is at first. To be honest, I really think he likes you.”

You let out a sigh and shook your head. The island challenge was turning out to be more of a challenge than you’d hoped for.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment below!

 

You were horrified. It wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last—but looking at Po Town was something else. The entire town had an almost dark brown taste to it. You didn’t like it. Every bone in your body begged you to leave, while your mind had already kicked into high gear. 

_ They live here,  _ you thought, lips pursing, eyes darting to each and every house on either side of you. They looked abandoned with overgrown lawns and broken windows that had been, at one point, boarded up. Several of the boards had been pried off to make the houses accessible again, at least to  _ some  _ degree. Not in any way that you were going to enter them, though. 

“Yo.”

You snapped your head around to look at the person who’d addressed you, tense and ready to battle if it came down to it. You relaxed as you saw it was only Zak, a bit scuffed up, but altogether in one piece. He also relaxed, realising it was you, though he certainly looked surprised. 

“What are ya’ doin’ in Po Town?” he asked, looking around with a nervous, almost ashamed expression. You were getting good at reading their expressions by their brows, since you almost never saw their mouths. “Got some beef with the boss or something?”

“Oh, ah, no, nothing like that,” you replied without thinking. “I… didn’t know when I’d run into you next, but I…” You were trying not to get distracted. “...I was going to ask you and Taylor if you’d like to come by my apartment. For my birthday.”

You turned to dig into your bag, wondering if this was a good idea. There was a deep-seated need to fix this, to fix the whole town. As you pulled out the invitations, you noticed that Zak not only looked surprised, but his eyes had grown a little wet. You smiled at him, trying not to show any indication of the maelstrom going on in your mind.

“You serious?” Zak asked, taking the invitation carefully. You nodded, still smiling. A revolution was brewing, you could feel it under your skin, ready to dig its way out if necessary. “Shit, don’t think I’ve ever been to a birthday party before.”

“It’s not going to be anything big,” you interjected, before he started dreaming too big. “Just a small get-together in my apartment.” And by small, you meant it would just be you, Zak, and Taylor. You didn’t know a ton of people, let alone people you’d invite over. “It’s actually just going to be the three of us.” 

Zak looked confused, but you’d expected that. You hoped that he could read the mood. You didn’t feel like having to explain.

“Okay,” he agreed. “We’ll be there.” You were relieved when he brightened. “Thanks for inviting us, you know. Never thought anyone would ever like us that much.”

 

It was rare, for you, to spend more than a day or two at your apartment. It was a single bedroom, with a small living room and an even smaller kitchen. You rented it but you hardly stayed there, too busy with the chaotic whirlwind of life that you kept around you. But you planned to stay there, this week—partially to get it suitable for company. There were floors to sweep and groceries to get—other than that, though, you had a plan to cobble together.

Po Town had brought back memories, and not good ones. Everything in you screamed for you to do something. To overturn the Hau’oli at the mere thought of people out there, forgotten by everyone else. You didn’t know how people could see something like this, like Po Town, and ignore it just because they were part of Team Skull.

People were a product of their environment. Had nobody thought to take a look at why Team Skull existed in the first place? Po Town hadn’t always been that way, it couldn’t have been. You could almost feel the pain leftover from the slow decline into what it was now. It was a slow ache that built into a radiating sharpness, like claws digging into your sides, slotting into the empty spaces between your ribs.

“I have to do something,” you muttered to the empty air around you, as if it was going to agree. You didn’t know what you were going to do. You didn’t know what Zak or Tyler wanted—it was their life, after all. You didn’t get to decide what others did with their lives—but if you could give them a chance.  _ Any  _ chance to live a better life, you’d do it. You just had to figure out where to  _ start. _

In the end, you decided to start by contacting the people you knew, the ones that owed you favors. If there was any time to call them in, it would be now.

 

“Come on in,” you greeted, almost shy in revealing how tiny and undecorated your apartment was. You could barely look at them, you were so nervous. But you were glad you did. They’d forgone their masks for the event and you realised this was the first time you’d ever seen the bottom halves of their faces.

They were both so handsome. It was a shame to cover them. 

“Woah,” Zak said, looking around the main room. “Nice place.”

“Thank you,” you replied, waving them in. “Come in, come in—don’t want to let any bugs in.” They hurried in and you pretended you didn’t notice them flinch as you shut the door behind them. “It’s a bit small, but it’s mine.”

Tyler shrugged and set a bag down beside the door. Off came his sneakers, and Zak followed suit. “I think it’s great,” he said. “Thanks for inviting us. And happy birthday.”

“Of course. And thank you,” you said. “I didn’t really decorate.” It probably wasn’t the party they were expecting, but it was a step—for you more than them, you’d decided earlier. “You guys can settle in. Are you thirsty? I have soda, water, milk—I might even have lemonade.”

“Soda is cool with me,” Tyler replied. He looked unsure as to whether or not he wanted to take a seat on your couch. In the end he took a seat, looking mildly uncomfortable as he did so. Like he was going to be kicked off of it. Zak, however, just flopped down.

“I’d like a soda too,” he said. “I didn’t know you lived in Hau’oli.”

You shrugged, pulling out three cans of pop. You weren’t quite sure what to say to that, to be honest. You dragged your bottom lip into your mouth, thinking for a moment.

“I don’t, most of the time,” you replied, coming over to the couch and handing them their sodas. “I prefer life on the road. But it’s nice to have a place to come back to, in case I need it.” You tapped your fingers on the outside of the can in your hands. “I’m sorry, I don’t normally celebrate my birthday but—we could play some board games, watch some movies.”

Tyler seemed to relax. “We don’t really know what you do either, ‘sides maybe eating cake.” He scratched the side of his face, nodding. “Yeah, I think just about anything would be good. More about the company, right?”

“If it were good company,” Zak teased, letting his head loll back against the couch. Tyler elbowed his side, getting a soft grunt. “Hey, no need to be a dick.”

“Once you stop acting like a dumbass, I’ll stop being a dick,” Tyler replied with a slightly peeved expression. You snorted and walked over to your television, going to fiddle with it. You’d collected a few of the newer movies that were out, hoping that Zak and Tyler would like them.

You offered the selection to them and an action film was quickly chosen—you’d never seen any of the movies you’d picked up, so you were excited to see if you liked any of them at all.

“I’m going to make some popcorn,” you told them. “And I thought we’d order in, unless you guys were hankering for something homemade—I do have snack foods of course, and c…ca…” You swallowed and grounded yourself. “...Cake. I have cake for later.” 

They nodded, going through the stack of remaining DVDs like your stuttering hadn’t bothered them. You relaxed, slightly. You didn’t stutter often.

“Sounds great, uh,” Zak paused and looked up at you. He was searching for a name.

“(Y/N,)” you said. “It’s weird, I thought I’d introduced myself by now.” You ran a hand through your hair—you didn’t know what about the tight space of your apartment had you on edge, but you were definitely more nervous than when you were out on the road. It was such a drastic change in emotion, you wondered if you’d come down with something.

Zak shrugged. “Sometimes you don’t need names, I guess?” You nodded, grabbing a few bags of chips to toss on the coffee table. 

“Good name, though,” Tyler piped up. He was eyeing the chips in your hands like a Lilipup that had heard the crinkle of a plastic treat bag. “I think so anyway.”

“I think all names are good,” you replied as you came over; the movie menu had popped up on the scream, music dramatic and loud. You could see that Zak was already on the edge of his seat.

“Yeah, probably. I mean, if it’s not, you can always choose to go by something else,” Zak agreed. “Names are just names, you know?” You nodded, trying not to smile when Tyler rolled his eyes at him. It was obvious that it was out of affection and not annoyance.

You grabbed the remote and settled on the end of the couch; you could’ve taken the armchair, but Zak and Tyler were the last people you’d consider dangerous, part of Team Skull or not. Chips now on the table, they were quickly pulled open—you thought about telling them to save room for dinner, but then waved the idea off. It might’ve been your birthday, but you still wanted them to get their fill on whatever they wanted. You were sure they could pack away some food too. 

A round of movies, take out, and a ridiculous amount of laughter later, all awkwardness had fallen away. And you sprung your question on them, mildly ashamed of yourself. 

“Do you guys really enjoy working for Team Skull?” you asked, trying your best to stay relaxed. It was a risky question, and you knew it. If they were against it, you would have what could be a set of cornered, paranoid gang members on your hand. 

There was a beat of silence. 

“...I don’t think it’s that easy to answer,” Tyler muttered. “I mean, Guzma takes good care of us. Don’t really have a reason to leave, ya’ know?” He scratched back of his neck. “Team Skull’s family.” You nodded in understanding, popping a chip into your mouth. Zak also nodded in time with Tyler’s answer. “Why?”

You shrugged. “I guess I was wondering if you had any spare time on your hands, really. There’s far more deliveries out there than I can make alone, and I could always use some help. Paid, of course—company is just looking for a few extra hands. You don’t have to quit Team Skull.”

They were definitely suspicious. “Why would they want to pay us to do anything?”

You cracked a shy smile, looking away from them. “It’s hard work. Lots of travelling. It’s not that popular.” You shifted in your chair. “You already do a lot of travelling, based on how often I see you. Besides, I…” You paused and fiddled with your fingers. “...I put in a good word.” 

There was a beat of silence: they stared at one another. You were sure you'd crossed a line when Tyler looked away, looking down at his feet. Zak was rolling his lips between his teeth as his legs jiggled under clenched hands.  

“I mean, it’d be good to have a solid paycheck,” Tyler muttered. 

“No pressure.” It spilled out of your mouth before you could stop it. “I just thought I’d offer, while I had you here.” This was  _ definitely  _ embarrassing. You felt so incredibly stupid, but it didn’t stop you from pulling out a business card from your back pocket and setting it on the coffee table.

Zak was slow to take it, but he  _ did.  _ “Thank you for the offer. We appreciate it.” He elbowed Tyler, who also thanked you. “Just kind of weird, you know. But not in a bad way.”

You nodded and then let out a soft sigh. “Well, I guess it’s time for cake then, huh? Feel free to pop in another movie if you want—” There was a sudden scramble for the movie pile, as if the conversation had been forgotten.

“Oh wow.”

You looked over your shoulder to see Zak peeking into your fridge in awe. “Your fridge actually has food in it? Like, it’s full.” You nodded as you pulled out the cake. “That’s pretty cool.” 

You weren’t sure what to say to that, so you just shrugged as you brought the cake over to the table. “Well, if you’re ever hungry and in the area, feel free to stop by. As long as I’m home, that is.” 

“That’s really cool,” Zak piped up happily, grinning at you. “Thanks man, that means a lot. I mean all of this means a lot though, so.”

 

That’s how it started.

You helped Zak and Tyler—it hadn’t been hard, though they’d had to take a moment to warm up to the idea. Quite a few of your contacts had questioned not only your motivation, but also your sanity. You’d waved them off with confidence, telling them that they were looking for a better life, that they had a right to it, just like everyone else. 

You were on the road, when you saw them next. It even looked like they were in the middle of a delivery. But they looked distressed, and that was  _ not  _ okay. You flagged them down, bearing a smile. Zak smiled back but Tyler remained moody. 

“Hey,” you greeted, chuckling as Tyler brought you into a hug. If anyone had seen the two of you, it no doubt would’ve concerned them. “It’s good to see you two.” You’d gotten to know them well over the past couple months. You’d gone with them to their first interview, and had even taken on the job as their first trainer. 

“It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Zak told you, squeezing you tight. When you stepped back, you saw that Tyler had adopted a crooked, half-smile. “How have you been?”

“Good,” you replied. “Is something wrong?”

There was a moment of tense silence before Tyler spoke. “Yeah, but it’s nothing big. The boss just thinks our Team Skull uniform is throwing people off.”

“Yeah, said we need something else,” Zak chimed in. “Least to wear while we go out on deliveries. Ain’t got the spare cash for it—we been feeding some of the other grunts along with ourselves. Bad time for it. And Guzma’s been actin’ all standoffish since we got hired, so it’s not gonna do any good to ask him.” 

You let out a soft hum, thinking about it. “Well, Guzma is Guzma.” They both nodded in agreement. “But we’re not that far from a clothing store, you know. We can pop in, grab you something else to wear. My treat.”

They looked at you, both stunned by the offer. And then Zak broke down. He started to cry, big tears, soon to be comforted by Tyler. You stepped forward, afraid that you’d said something wrong. But he shook his head. 

“Sorry, I… I know that I’m a bit emotional, but that’s too nice of you, ya’ know? You’re already doin’ so much for us. I can’t imagine why.” He was wiping at his eyes—the tears weren’t stopping. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Hey, you don’t need to apologise,” you corrected quickly. “There’s nothing wrong. It’s really not a big deal.” You didn’t think it was a big deal, anyway. But perspective was  _ everything.  _ “I want to help you two succeed. It’s really not a problem.” 

That only seemed to send Zak into another spiral of tears, sloppily wiping them from his eyes. You didn’t know how to help, but you desperately wanted to. It looked like Tyler had it covered, however, so you just stood nearby, hands hovering near your waist. But you wouldn’t rescind your offer. You were going to open your mouth, to say something more, when Zak broke free of Tyler and wrapped you in a hug.

You were startled, but hugged him back. And you kept hugging him until his tears stopped and your shirt was soaked through. And then you hugged him a bit longer, pressing your cheek to the top of his head, rocking slightly. You couldn’t believe that anyone was ever scared of Zak. He was so  _ soft. _

“You okay?” Tyler asked, frozen where he stood. Zak nodded and pulled away, face now red and blotchy. You petted his shoulder in reassurance and got a watery smile in return. “We’ll take that offer, if you really mean it,” he murmured quietly. 

“I do. Come on.” You offered a hand to each of them—they both took the proffered hand and you gave them each a squeeze. This felt right. 

 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” 

You were presently setting up a tent for the night; it was getting dark soon. But you didn’t think that’s what he meant. And by  _ he,  _ you meant Guzma. 

“What do you mean?” you asked curiously—helping Zak and Tyler had turned into helping other Team Skull members as well. On Zak and Tyler’s word, of course, it wouldn’t do any good if they weren’t vetted to a degree. Guzma was standing a bit away from you, looking surprisingly better than he had the last time you’d seen him. It was obvious that the increase of income was helping him as well.

“I mean, what are you doing with the members of Team Skull? Think I can’t take care of them?”

You turned back to your tent, shaking your head. “If I thought that, Guzma, I would’ve told them to leave Team Skull altogether. A lot of these guys wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you.” You hammered the final stake in. “You’re good for them. I’m just trying to be good for them, too. You’re not the only one who’s been there, you know.” 

Guzma was quiet for a minute. “Ain’t right to let people suffer.” You nodded. “Just don’t get to thinkin’ I like you fuckin’ around in my territory. I don’t mind you mother hennin’ em’ a bit, judging by the look of ‘em, it’s good for ‘em. But the grunts ain’t yours.”

“Of course not. They’re their own people,” you replied, wishing Guzma wouldn’t get offended by every little thing. You hadn’t set out to make this a slight against him, no matter how he saw it. But that didn’t mean he didn’t feel that way.

You sighed and turned back toward him. You had your palms open in a sign of peace. “I’m sorry that I’ve upset you. I didn’t mean to, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t.” You waited for a moment, and then saw him nod.

“Yeah, well.” He took a second to cough and dig his foot into the ground. “Just remember where you stand with me. Far as I’m concerned, you’re just a shitty interloper.” Guzma jerked his head up to look at you. “And I ain’t afraid to kick your ass if you become a problem.”

You nodded. As expected. But you felt as though he wasn’t nearly as upset with you as he let on. He shuffled past you, eyeing your tent. Your Arcanine let out a low growl at him. He growled right back and showed his teeth. You chuckled and shook your head.

“Arcanine, let him be,” you chastised. “He’s not here to hurt us.”

Arcanine huffed, obviously displeased by Guzma's presence. You wanted to say that Guzma wouldn't hurt a fly, at the moment.

_ Everyone can be won over by kindness,  _ you thought. And it certainly wasn't hard to be kind. Not for you, at least. You shuffled over to the fire pit and blinked in surprise when you found a bandana laid over the top of the pyramid you’d made. A  _ Team Skull  _ bandana. You looked at the direction that Guzma had lumbered off in, just to see that he was gone.

You quickly took the square of cloth and tucked it away before anyone could see it, half-flattered, half-worried at the prospects of this. You were already associated with Team Skull, anyone could see that—but you didn’t want to be considered a  _ member.  _ You clicked your tongue and Arcanine trotted over, quickly using Ember to bring the fire to life. You squatted next to it, staring into the flame with muted interest.

“What do you think?” You asked Arcanine, interlacing your fingers. He let out a quiet, half-bark, going to sit beside you. You nodded. “Yeah, I guess. But he’s safe to be around, at least for now. He wouldn’t have left it if he had any mischief on his mind.”

Arcanine shook his head, neck scruff puffed out in distaste. You sank your fingers into it, coming down the coarse fur. “There’s still a bit of daylight left,” you murmured to yourself, staring up at the sunset. “Guess that means it’s time to get cracking on dinner.” Again, another shake and you rolled your eyes. Picky,  _ picky. _

 

You started to spend more time at home; not enough to get in the way of work, but enough so that was where the grunts came to check in, or to request your help. You hadn’t told them they had to check in, or anything similar, but they seemed almost eager to show you their accomplishments. Meanwhile, your boss was keeping a close eye on you, and had remarked on many an occasion that you were  _ very  _ charitable.

It also helped that you were bringing in new employees, when he’d previously been stressed to fill all his orders.

Two things that surprised you about the grunts were, first of all: how  _ emotional  _ they were, for so called ‘gang members’. You’d had to comfort sets of them on more than one occasion, after you’d given them even the smallest bit of respect. They crumbled into you like cliffsides that had been endlessly beat by the ocean waves. And, the second thing that surprised you was the variety of ages you saw come through your doors.

Specifically how many  _ kids  _ you saw. It broke your heart to see twelve and thirteen year olds look around your apartment in the same awe that Zak and Taylor had shown. It broke your heart further when you asked them what they liked to eat, and saw them break down like they’d never been able to have a favourite food. Or any sort of food preferences. Your respect for Guzma grew, despite this.

Mostly from the stories that the grunts told.

You didn’t get too many details, but there was always some sort of unpleasant undertone to their stories. They had escaped abusive households, homelessness, and any other number of horrific situations because Guzma had taken them in. A dry place to sleep, at least a meal a day when they weren’t on the road—it wasn’t much, but it was more than they’d had before. Most important, Guzma had provided them support. A  _ family. _

“Why are you so insistent on helping Team Skull?” Your mom asked once, when you were sitting down for dinner during a visit. Your mind blanked, and you were unable to find an answer for her for a moment of extended silence. She let out an awkward laugh. “That sounded off, didn’t it? I mean it in a kind way.”

“They need help,” you replied, your face displaying an owlish, yet firm, expression. “Just like I did.” Your mom looked up and met your gaze, searching it for a moment before nodding. “I just want to…” You spread your hands out, staring at your calloused, scarred fingers like you’d never seen them before. “...I don’t know. They need help. That’s all I got.”

Your mom nodded again, reaching to grab the salad. She was smiling. “I know. You’ve got a very kind soul, (Y/N.)” You stared at her, confused, before nodding back. What else could you do? “I was just curious if I would have to distract the cops for you again.” She dropped a wink and your cheeks burned. She laughed at you and shook your head. “Now tell me more about these friends of yours.”

As much as you loved your mother, you rarely spent more than a day or two at your parents’ house before you were off. It was much like the way you’d treated your apartment previously, and you began to wonder if you should start to visit her more. She understood for the moment, though, and your father was busy elsewhere, so you were free to travel the islands as much as you pleased without worrying too much. Though you knew it would be good to finish the Island Challenge, it felt like you had a much more important mission.

“You know, you can walk on the road,” you stated suddenly, as you were pushing through the brush of yet another piece of unexplored forest. At the very least, minimally explored. You heard a huffed grumble—it wasn’t a grunt who popped out of the forest, but Guzma. Again. You cocked an eyebrow at him, setting a hand on top of Arcanine’s head to calm him. A growl had started in his throat, but died with your touch.“Oh, hey,” you greeted, though you knew you sounded more surprised than you intended. Than you were, even.

“We gonna walk, or are ya’ gonna stare at me?” he grumbled, not meeting your gaze. You shrugged and turned back to the undergrowth in front of you. Guzma sidled up beside you, watching as you expertly navigated a particularly thorny patch. “What are ya’ doin’ out here?”

You shrugged. “Working. As usual. What are you doing?” 

“Was trainin’ and then I saw you.” He seemed to know this forest as well as you did. “Good place to clear ya’ mind.” He was slumped over, hands dug deep into his pockets. You two travelled in silence, not really looking at one another as you battled unseen logs and prickly thorns; you heard Guzma swear once or twice, though he seemed fine for the most part. 

“Guzma, can I ask you a question?” 

Guzma stopped in his tracks and jerked his head up to look at you. A look of mild irritation crossed his face. 

“Can’t just enjoy the day, huh?” he asked, fishing around in his pockets. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and shook them at you in obvious offer. You shook your head. Maybe once, but not anymore. “What do you wanna know?”

You clicked your tongue against your teeth, considering your question. Arcanine rubbed against your flank, as if assuring you that you were safe if Guzma tried anything. You gave him a soft scratch between the ears, ever-appreciative of his constant companionship.

“What happened to Po Town? I’ve heard rumors, but…”

Guzma looked at you, as if waiting for you to finish your question. When you didn’t, he shook his head. “Ya’ don’t believe ‘em. Knew you were too smart for all that shit.” Next thing he pulled out of his pocket was a well-worn zippo lighter. He flicked it a few times, cursed, and then flicked it again. He dipped the end of his cigarette into the flame and it lit immediately. The lighter was tucked away.

“Dunno how it started. Wasn’t born until after it was already spiralling down into a disaster.” You nodded, not saying anything. It was amazing that he was talking to you in an almost calm tone at all. You didn’t want to mess it up by speaking. “Lots of kids lost their ‘rents in the war, didn’t ever see ‘em again. So they left, ya’ know, full of daddy and mommy issues.”

He took a puff of his cigarette, looking at you out of the corner of his eye. “Those that stayed, well—I know Team Skull ain’t got the best reputation, but it ain’t nothin’ like these guys—they terrorised the town, tore the place apart. Drove everyone away.” He took another drag, letting the smoke drip out of his mouth and then swirl up toward the treetops. “After awhile, you kinda get tired of travelling, gotta go home. Even the punks that drove everyone out were gone, left the town in the ruin it is.”

You had expected something similar, though everyone had thought it was Team Skull that had driven everyone away. But again, that was the rumor you’d heard from people on the road, and people loved to gossip.

“Ain’t got nothing to say?” Guzma asked after a minute.

“I’m… thinking,” you replied. “You just returned? And took in people that needed help?”

Guzma stared at you. He gritted his teeth and nodded like he was loathe to admit it. “Yeah, guess so. Town was empty anyway. Didn’t need any permission to take that big ol’ house in the back, and it has enough space for the grunts to be comfortable enough. People don’t bother harassing us neither.”

“Makes it easier to hide what a good guy you are,” you teased. He choked on his next drag, leaning over and nearly losing his cigarette in the process. You snorted and waited for him to compose himself.

“Now you listen to me, you fuckin’ brat,” he snarled. “I ain’t a good guy. Ain’t even a decent one. Just ‘cause I’m putting up with you don’t mean nothin’.”

You forced yourself not to smile, staring at the lack of a path in front of you. “I guess. But not a lot of people would go out of their way to take in a bunch of kids—or support them, for that matter.” You adjusted your backpack.

“You did.”

“Maybe we’re more alike than you think,” you replied, staring back at him. You wanted to say that you wanted to find out if you were. But that might be too far. “You know, I’ve helped a lot of grunts.” You shifted from one foot to the other, refusing to let yourself back down. “But I’ve never helped you.”

Guzma shook his head and took a step back. “Nu-uh. I don’t need nothin’ from you. Least of all your help.” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets. The way he regarded you wasn’t nearly as cold and rough as it once was. “I appreciate everythin’ you’re doin’, but keep it to the grunts.”

You shook your head. “I don’t know if I can.”

He let out a frustrated growl. “How d’ya’ think you can help me, anyway?”

You pursed your lips. “Well, you know the grunts way better than I ever will—I can only do so much with the limited information you know. And, well—I’d love to help fix up Po Town, if you’re interested in that. I think that it could be made beautiful again.”

He stared at you, as if assessing the level of truth in your voice. “You wanna fix up Po Town? You think anyone would ever visit that place, even if we get it lookin’ livable?”

“Does it matter if anyone visits?” you asked. “I mean, they won’t be living there. You will be.” You bent down, narrowing your eyes as you tried to find the Ohelo’ai you thought you’d seen peeking through the green. The berries would be a nice treat for you and your Pokémon later tonight, when you went to camp.

Guzma seemed to think for a moment. “Look, I don’t mean to discourage ya’. But ain’t that a lot of work? Aren’t ya’ busy with that island challenge?”

“No,” you replied. “I should be, but…” You knelt in the brush, grabbing at the berries triumphantly. They were awfully well-hidden. “...I don’t know. It’s not as important to me as this.”

“Ain’t nothin’ but a bunch of down on our luck strangers,” he replied, squatting down to watch what you were you doing. He put out his cigarette on the side of his shoe and slipped what was left of it into his pocket. “How’s that more important?”

“Human life. Pokémon life.” You plucked a berry and offered it to Guzma, who eyed it warily. “It’s edible, I promise. I wouldn’t poison you in the middle of the woods.”

“Meanin’ you’d poison me elsewhere?” he asked, taking the round, red berry. Guzma popped it in his mouth shortly after his question, chewing obnoxiously.

You rolled your eyes. “Anyway. Life is more important than anything else—the quality of life not only for myself, but for others. I’d throw the entire island challenge away, if I had to choose between helping the grunts or completing it.”

“You’re too nice, if that’s the only reasonin’ behind it.” 

“Like I said, Guzma. Maybe we’re more alike than you think.” You pocketed the other berries, setting them snugly inside your Poké Bean case. “Besides. Someone has to care. You seem to know about that.”

You stood up, brushing off your pants. They were already well-stained, but it was an old habit. You jumped when a hand landed on your shoulder. 

“Hey,” Guzma grunted. “Seriously. Thank you.” He leaned forward, hesitated, and then pressed a red-stained kiss to your forehead. You froze in place, watching him pull away. “If ya’ really wanna help Po Town, I ain’t going to turn the offer down.” He stepped back further and shoved his hands in his pockets. His teeth were gritted again and there was a faint dusting of color on his cheeks.

“Uh, oh, um.” You were trying to find words,  _ any  _ words to reply. The kiss had been such a sweet gesture, and you were confused as to whether or not it was meant to be platonic. You cleared your throat and took a deep breath, willing yourself to smile.

“When can we start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys.
> 
> Want to stay updated? Want to chat or shoot me a prompt? Have an idea that you'd like me to consider for this pairing? Feel free to click [here](http://everyday-im-preaching.tumblr.com/) for my tumblr or[here](https://twitter.com/thepr3acher) (my twitter) to do all these things and more!

**Author's Note:**

> Heya there!! Welcome to the end of the fic!
> 
> Want to stay updated? Want to chat or shoot me a prompt? Have an idea that you'd like me to consider for this pairing? Feel free to click [here](http://everyday-im-preaching.tumblr.com/) to do all these things and more!


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